Crokus Younghand
Crokus Younghand was a seventeen year old thief in Darujhistan and one of the regulars of the Phoenix InnGardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p. xiv. Crokus' parents had died when he was only four years old, succumbing to the Winged Plague. Since then, he had been raised by his uncle Mammot, but had found the street's shadows more appealing than the books his Uncle worked on. He had been an apprentice of Kruppe learning the art of thievery.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6 Crokus was described as having shoulder-length, black hair, regular features and light blue eyes.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.190 When out as a thief, Crokus dressed in soot-stained cloth which closely covered his body, including his face, only leaving space for his eyes. A black leather harness, criss-crossing his chest held the tools of his trade. In pockets and tight loops it contained coils of copper wire, iron files, three metal saws wrapped in oiled parchment, root gum, a lump of tallow, and a spool of fishing string. A thin-bladed dagger and a throwing knife were both sheathed under his left arm with pommels facing forward.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.178/179 Some of his tools Crokus had acquired from his absent-minded uncle, Mammot, who dabbled in alchemy and was prone to misplace items such as magically hardened saws and other, to Crokus useful, tools.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.180 The tips of his moccasins were soaked in pitch which gave him more grip when scaling up or down the side of buildings. To preserve the pitch, Crokus would not lower his full weight on his toes the rest of the time when crossing the roofs.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.179/180 In Gardens of the Moon About two days after rumors had reached Darujhistan of the fall of Pale,Crokus stole the content of the jewel box of Challice D'Arle from her bedroom whilst she was asleepGardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.184 It took him twenty minutes to saw through the look on her bedroom door.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.180 He decided to also take a sky-blue silk turban with gold-braid tassels which he vowed to keep for himself and sneaked a quick look at the half naked, sleeping Challice. After Crokus left the estate, he was nearly shot by Talo Krafar in a case of mistaken identity.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.185/186 Crokus was saved when he bent down to pick up Oponn's coin which fell at his feet at that moment.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.186 Crokus was then followed and attacked by those who had previously attacked Talo, but again and again he managed to escape by sheer luck.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.185-191 Crokus had no idea of the coin's significance and that he, as "The Coinbearer" was wanted by some. Thus he did not realize that it had been the influence of the coin which had saved his life. Thinking back on the sleeping Challice, Crokus gradually became infatuated with the thought of her and decided to return the jewels.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.235/240 He also considered to become well-read and to be presented to the young woman as a gentleman and suitor.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.369 Unbeknown to Crokus, the Great Raven Crone mentioned to Caladan Brood that Rake's known dislike for Oponn would lead him to try and cut their connection to the coinbearer, however, she said that she had not told Rake all she knew about the matter. In order to prevent Oponn being pulled into the fray, Brood arranged for the 6th Blade of the Crimson Guard to protect Crokus.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 10, UK MMPB p.337-339 On a visit to the Phoenix Inn, Crokus met Sorry and noticed fresh blood on her dagger. He realized that she was the one who had just killed Chert. When he tried to pay, Oponn's coin bounced on the bar, spun and kept on spinning, giving Crokus away to Sorry as being Oponn's coin bearer.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.376-378 As Crokus returned the jewels, Challice woke up but did not call the guards. That and the brief conversation they had further strengthened Crokus in his infatuation.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 13, UK MMPB p.419/422 On his way to the D'Arle estate, Crokus had secretly been followed by Sorry.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 13, UK MMPB p.417-419 As he left Challice's bedroom he saw Sorry standing in the garden, and although she was cloaked, he instantly recognized her as the woman he had previously met in the Phoenix Inn.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 13, UK MMPB p.422 He came to know Sorry better on the return from a trip outside the city, after the Rope abandoned his possesion of her. Sorry had no memory of her former life and her real name, so she choose 'Apsalar', the name of the Lady of Thieves, the Patron of Crokus. Crokus saw his Uncle Mammot killed, Apsalar "kidnapped" by Malazan spies, and was disabused of his obsession with Challice during the Gedderone Fête. When he met Apsalar again she was trying to return home to Itko Kan and he opted to go with her, discarding Oponn's coin over the side of the boat. On this journey, they were joined by Fiddler and Kalam. In Deadhouse Gates He and the party he was travelling with then met up with Icarium, Mappo, Iskaral Pust, and Apsalar's father, Rellock in the Holy Desert Raraku. Apasalar and Rellock then set off on a mission for Pust with Crokus, Fiddler, Mappo, and Icarium following behind. While fighting Soletaken and D'ivers trying to find the Path of Hands, the group found Tremorlor, an Azath House. From Tremorlor, Crokus, Fiddler, and Apsalar continued on to the Deadhouse in Malaz City where they met up with Apt who led them to Kalam. Shadowthrone himself then appeared and at Apsalar's request, spirited them back to the Kanese coast. In House of Chains Crokus changed his name to 'Cutter', when he believed the only way to follow Apsalar, whom he loved, was to abandon his former life. Crokus was visited by Cotillion in Itko Kan, just after Rellock had died. After a conversation, the contents of which remained unknown, he agreed to serve Cotillion and upon telling Apsalar, the two made plans to leave for Drift Avalii.House of Chains, Chapter 6 On their way to the island, Cutter came to realize that in order to get closer to her, he had made the wrong choice by pursuing the life of an assassin, something Apsalar abhorred. Crokus and Apsalar were shipwrecked and separated close to Drift Avalii. Crokus was found by a Tiste Andii called DaristHouse of Chains, Chapter 9, UK MMPB p.437. Crokus helped Darist in his fight against the Tiste Edur who had invaded the island to wrest back the Throne of Shadow. They survived the onslaught of the advance party due to Darist's dazzling display of swordsmanship. Crokus killed at least on Edur in the fight. He was reunited with Apsalar who arrived with other Tiste Andii and killed the remaining enemies. It turned out that Darist was short for Andarist and Crokus correctly guessed him to be the younger brother of Anomander Rake.House of Chains, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.523-525 Crokus left the courtyard to seek out stranded Malazan marines whose presence was felt by Apsalar and ask for their help.House of Chains, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.527 When he arrived back he witnessed Andarist die as a result of Edur sorceries. The rest of them, including Crokus and Apsalar, were saved by Cotillion, who killed the Edur mages and soldiers.House of Chains, Chapter 12 Cotillion then sent Crokus and Apsalar to the Seven Cities, where he suspected the leader of the Talon was. He needed Crokus to take out this leader to make them fail in their endeavor. While Apsalar was disappointed to see Crokus do this, and asked him not to walk this path, she nevertheless decided to accompany him when Crokus answered that he had thought she wanted company.House of Chains, Chapter 16 Later, Apsalar seeing Cutter embrace all the things she hated about herself, decided to serve Cotillion and Shadowthrone in Cutter's stead, leaving him free, though he saw this as abandonment and wandered heartbroken across Seven Cities. In The Bonehunters '' Crokus led Scillara, Felisin Younger, and Heboric through the desert of Raraku to the coast, journeying to Otataral Island. On the way, they were ambushed by Unbound T'lan Imass, the servants of the Chained God, and Felisin Younger was taken. Crokus (Cutter) was disemboweled, Heboric killed, and Scillara was stabbed through the chest. They were discovered by the inhabitants of a small settlement run by Kalam's cousin, Barathol Mekhar. L'oric arrived and healed them all. In ''Toll the Hounds Cutter returned to Darujhistan, though he found that the city was no longer his home, having himself changed so much. He began an affair with Challice, but felt no love towards her. The affair ended abruptly when Cutter killed Gorlas Vidikas in revenge for the death of Murillio, leaving Darujhistan in a boat. In The Crippled God He and Apsalar were finally reunited. Notes and References The image used in the infobox is a detail from an interpretation of Cutter and Challice by Corporal Nobbs aka Luktarig de:Crokus Junghand Category:Daru Category:Thieves Category:Assassins Category:Males Category:Humans